


To the deep end.

by tuanpark



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Lifeguards, Attempt at Humor, Except I'm really not that funny, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Humor, Lifeguards, M/M, Magical Realism, Summer, Summer Vacation, but only slightly - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-15
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-23 11:09:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30054552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tuanpark/pseuds/tuanpark
Summary: Beomgyu is just trying to earn more cash in the summer by working as a lifeguard. His duties do not include teaching cute, dimpled boys how to swim no matter how cute and dimpled their smiles may be.Choi Soobin is the exception.
Relationships: Choi Beomgyu/Choi Soobin
Comments: 14
Kudos: 79





	To the deep end.

**Author's Note:**

> Ah! My first TXT fic! And it's Soogyu!
> 
> I hope you all like it. If you do, please leave kudos and a comment. I would really appreciate it.
> 
> I have [Twitter](https://twitter.com/seungminhot) if you want to scream with me!
> 
> Happy Belated Birthday, Choi Beomgyu! Sorry this is late. ilyvm

During the first few days of his summer vacation, Beomgyu has managed to learn three things.

The first is that no matter which advice he followed or what precautions he took, the sun always found a way to win. The second is that caution signs that say No Diving and No Running in big, gigantic, in-your-face letters often go ignored. The third is that despite the countless times he scolded children to _not_ put their arm inflatables on their ankles because it’s a drowning hazard, they never listen.

And so Beomgyu curses his job when, for the third time that week, he had to enter the water to fish out a child who kicked and screamed because the inflatables around her feet forced her to float in the pool upside down. When he finally lifts her up enough so that she can breathe properly, he removes the floaties around her ankles. Wading their way to the shallow area, Beomgyu ignores all the attention on him and focuses on getting on the ground as soon as possible.

As soon as they’re out of the pool, the child hugs his leg and cries out, “Thank you for saving my life, _ahjussi_!”

Beomgyu feels his eyelid twitch at the title. 

“Poke her floating device,” Kai demands, holding onto one of Beomgyu’s ears with one hand while gesturing at the little girl with the other. For a second, he does contemplate popping holes on her inflatables, but he’s not that salty. Plus the little donut did nothing to him.

“Don’t do that,” Taehyun counters from where he’s resting on the crook of Beomgyu’s neck, softly yawning. “If it deflates while she’s in the middle of the pool, you’ll have to get her again, and that’s just more work.”

Beomgyu agrees. Instead, he subtly unclasps the rubber opening and asks the little girl, “Where are your parents?”

She points to a man in sunglasses relaxing on a pool chair by the shade, legs crossed, and hands busy with his phone. Beomgyu bends down to present the now flat floaties and comments, “Looks like your inflatables became undone while you were kicking around. Why don’t you have your dad blow it up again for you?”

The girl eagerly nods and sprints to her father. Beomgyu straightens and settles a hand on his waist.

“Fuckin’ children.”

He shakes his head as he saunters back to his designated chair, Kai zooming recklessly in front of him while Taehyun glides from slightly behind. Covering his eyes with some swanky sunglasses, Beomgyu lets his friends hover about while he bakes in the sun until he’s needed once again.

Summers in Korea are usually warm, but something about this year’s heat has Beomgyu downright thirsty. It has nothing to do with the fact that people ogle at him whenever he so much as fixes the sunglasses perched on his nose or adjusts the red visor that shades half his face and everything to do with the fact that the midafternoon sun is doing its absolute darndest to make him melt where he’s sat.

Beomgyu had to admit, it was doing a good job so far.

The next time anything remotely interesting happens, the sun is already past its peak and nearing the spot that marks the end of Beomgyu’s shift.

The only reason Beomgyu watches him is because the guy reminds him of his summer nemesis, the sun.

What first catches Beomgyu’s attention is the canary yellow inflatable hanging around his clothed torso, looking not unlike a ring of plastic solar corona. Next are the matching kiddie armbands on his biceps, which are just as bright and just as sunny as the one on his waist. Too-tight goggles are strapped around his head, his dark brown hair bunching up where the rubber hugs them. 

Beomgyu doesn’t think he’s seen anyone look this ridiculous in his life.

“He’s cute!” Kai whistles, leaning forward from Beomgyu’s shoulder.

He doesn’t even notice the person Sunny Boy entered with until they’re both closeby and said person pushes him into the deep side of the pool. Beomgyu is immediately alert, almost halfway out of his seat when he realizes that Sunny Boy has his swimming tube on him and is in zero danger.

From his other shoulder, Beomgyu hears Taehyun snicker but ignores him.

Sunny Boy’s friend begins to howl with laughter, blonde hair glinting under the light with a pinkish hue. Pouting, Sunny Boy retaliates by splashing a generous amount of pool water at him. Fortunately, Funky Hair’s reflexes are quick as a fox, and he dodges it easily by spinning to the side. Beomgyu isn’t so lucky as some of the water wets a good chunk of his legs. A drop or two even managed to fly high enough to reach his shades.

“ _Oh, kumquats_!” Sunny Boy shrieks, hands in frightened fists in front of him. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean- my friend here made me do it, and… It wasn’t on purpose, I promise. Are you- Are you okay?”

...Kumquats?

“How rude. Poke his floating device!” Kai demands yet again. Beomgyu and Taehyun don’t bother replying to him.

“I’m fine,” Beomgyu answers, removing his sunglasses and drying them with his shorts. It’s not until he’s made a few circular wipes does he realize that his shorts are also wet. Ah, shit. He turns to Sunny Boy, hoping his smile doesn’t look too stiff. “I’m totally good. It’s just pool water, not hydrochloric acid.”

Even though Sunny Boy’s wearing goggles, Beomgyu can see clearly his big eyes blinking up at him. And then Sunny Boy is cackling like Beomgyu just made the joke of the month. 

“That’s a good one,” he compliments in between chuckles, hands slapping his yellow floatie. It’s here that Beomgyu notices Sunny Boy’s dimples, presenting themselves along with a lopsided smile. “Well, as long you’re fine.”

Beomgyu wipes his sunglasses on the dry side of his shorts, sets them on his nose, and gives Sunny Boy a courteous nod. 

“See ya around, Beomgyu-ssi!” He says before flapping his way towards Funky Hair.

When Beomgyu’s mind finally registers what Sunny Boy called him, he sits up. How does this ridiculous stranger know his name? Beomgyu’s about to call him back and ask but Sunny Boy has already waddled away too far, and Beomgyu doesn’t feel like shouting his name.

What would he even shout? Sunny Boy?

Beomgyu decides to lie back in his seat and wait until the guy comes back. Only then will he bother questioning him.

Except, the guy never comes back to his side of the pool, and before Beogmyu knows it, the lifeguard taking over after his shift is walking towards him. Which means his shift is almost over. Which means he can now get down the tower, wash the day away using the communal showers, and bike home.

“You think he’ll come back tomorrow?” Kai wonders, zipping along his side while he pedals through the streets. Taehyun has chosen not to come out until Beomgyu has finished biking, as he is wont to do. Something about the wind messing his hair or something or other. He knows the feeling. If he was in Taehyun's position, he’d probably do the same.

Beomgyu shrugs. “Who knows. Why do you ask?”

“You tell me.” Kai giggles, the sound like wind chimes in the breeze. “I’m just here to ask your questions.”

🌊

He does, in fact, come back the day after.

And he does, in fact, look just as ridiculous as before, only with slightly better-looking shorts.

But this time, he’s swimming alone, his friend strangely absent.

Beomgyu fidgets on his pearl-white chair, buttocks numb on the seat raised about six feet high. Sweat trickles from his forehead and past his chin to pool on the small dip between his collarbones. A sticky sensation surrounds his skin, especially his hands, even though he doesn’t remember eating a popsicle today.

“I wonder where his friend is,” Kai pipes up, doing backstrokes around Beomgyu’s head.

“Shouldn’t we focus more on what he’s doing?” Taehyun suggests, swimming in the air and lightly kicking his legs as if he’s deep-sea diving. “What if he loses his swim tube? What if his arm donuts accidentally come off while flailing around? What if he drowns and we don’t notice because we’re too busy wondering why his friend isn’t here today?”

Beomgyu wants to point out that he’s as observant as a hawk, but that’s not exactly true so he shuts his mouth. Instead, he watches as Sunny Boy struggles from one point of the pool and back, each lap inching closer and closer to Beomgyu’s station.

“Cutie at 12 o’clock!” Kai shouts excitedly.

“Keep it cool, stud,” Taehyun shoots him a couple of finger guns. Together, they surge towards Beomgyu’s hair like two busy bees buzzing back to their nest. They disappear with a faint pop just in time for Sunny Boy to finally reach Beomgyu’s station looking just as bizarre and as yellow as the first time he saw him.

“Hey, you,” Sunny Boy beckons, smiling up at him as he adjusts his goggles. His hair is wet and dark and some of it sticks up where the lenses are pushing. “You come here often?”

This time, Beomgyu is the one who blinks. An uncomfortable amount of silence passes before he gives an answer.

“Oh. I kind of work here.”

Sunny Boy laughs, and Beomgyu can’t really tell if it’s forceful or not.

“Of course you do. I was just-” he clears his throat. “You know, uhh. Forget it, I’ll just-”

Sunny Boy begins paddling back to the other side, neck looking absolutely sunburnt from a day out. Thankfully, his skills are below beginner, so he’s not too far away when Beomgyu calls him back.

“Wait!” A few people turn to Beomgyu, and it makes him shrink under their stares. He had not meant to be so loud. “I wanted to ask you a question.”

Sunny Boy is smiling so widely that Beomgyu wonders how it doesn’t hurt his face. He stops right by Beomgyu, his bright yellow tube bumping against the pool edge.

“Yeah?”

Beomgyu takes off his shades and places them on his scarlet visor.

“How do you know my name?”

Sunny Boy doesn’t answer. If this was a video, Beomgyu would have sworn the other guy was buffering. When he still doesn’t say more, Beomgyu continues.

“Yesterday, unless I’m mistaken. You called me Beomgyu-ssi… right? Have we perhaps met?”

Eyes wide, Sunny Boy nods and, with pursed lips, scratches his cheek. “Yes, and no.”

When Beomgyu tilts his head in question, Sunny Boy clarifies. “Well, I’ve seen you before, but we’ve never officially met. You have Professor Park for Music History, correct? We’re in the same class, and he kind of uses you as an example whenever you fall asleep in class… Says this is what happens when your voice is as sweet and as dull as his—people fall asleep when lecturing.”

Beomgyu gapes like a fish. He does tend to fall asleep in class. Gaming until the wee hours of the night contributes to that. And he does have Professor Park for Music History, but he doesn’t think he’s ever seen Sunny Boy before. If he did, Beomgyu is certain he wouldn’t forget such outlandish fashion choices. 

As if to reply to his thoughts, the stranger adds, “I usually sit in the back. Because I’m tall. I just… naturally gravitate there so people behind won’t ask me to duck.”

Somewhere to his right, he hears the dolphin shrieks of kids splashing each other. He thinks he feels the pool of sweat slide down from his neck to his torso, settling between the ridges there. The stickiness from his hands persists as he formulates another question.

“What’s your name?”

Sunny Boy recoils minutely as if that wasn’t the response he was expecting. Anyone not paying the closest attention to him would have missed it.

“Soobin,” Sunny Boy answers, giving him a dimpled smile. And with his pool-slicked hair sticking up in the wrong places, he looks nothing short of goofy. “My name is Choi Soobin.”

“Hello, Choi Soobin-ssi,” Beomgyu greets, fixing his red visor before beaming at him. “My name is Choi Beomgyu, but you already knew that.”

Sunny Boy— _Soobin_ , he reminds himself—is scratching the back of his neck like he’s embarrassed about it. Beomgyu is feeling bighearted today, so he’ll spare him the awkwardness.

“You’re not much of a swimmer, are you?”

Soobin snorts. “Do I look like a swimmer?”

 _You certainly have the body of one,_ he thinks Kai would say.

“No use in judging from appearances,” Beomgyu shrugs. “But if you’re not much of a swimmer, what are you doing spending your afternoon in a swimming pool?”

“Isn’t it obvious, Beomgyu-ssi?” Soobin begins to act out… a baby chick trying to fly? Wait no. A sea turtle waddling through the sand and on its way to the water?

“No, not really.”

“I’m trying to learn how to swim!” Soobin confirms. Beomgyu wants to point out that he’s not going to be able to learn if he relies too much on his swimming tube. Or his arm floaties. But he doesn’t get the chance because Soobin is already spilling the reason why he needs to master it even though Beomgyu hasn’t asked.

“My friend and I are going on a trip to Jeju. And, like, it’s mostly water there, right? So I have to learn how to swim. I just know he’s going to wanna do crazy activities like surfing or jet skiing even though I told him multiple times that I’m not the best swimmer. Or any kind of swimmer, really. But the trip is next _next_ weekend, not the one following this coming weekend but the one after that. And obviously, I don’t want to be the Debbie downer friend that holds him back from having fun. You get what I mean, right? So naturally, I have to use my time to learn how to swim or else I really will be a Debbie downer… And I don’t want to be a Debbie downer.”

That’s… a lot. Beomgyu nods the way he usually does during lecture, as if pretending to understand will help him make sense of things. It doesn’t help, but maybe he can fake it until he makes it.

“Well, I can teach you if you’d like.”

This piques Soobin’s attention, it seems.

“Really? You’d do that?” And then, as if an afterthought, Soobin adds, “I can pay you if you want. Just tell me how much you want per session.”

“How about a date and a kiss on the cheek?” Kai suggests eagerly, snapping back in with Taehyun out of nowhere.

“10,000 won per hour!” Taehyun mentions. “We can finally buy that game you’ve been eyeing.” 

“Actually, watching him swim is enough,” Kai sighs with his hands on his chin. “Do you think he’ll agree to let us teach him if we say the number one rule is no shirts allowed?”

Beomgyu ignores both of them. “Honestly, it’s fine. Just think of it as my investment in the future. I won’t have to save you if and when you drown.”

Soobin snickers despite himself. “Only if you’re sure.”

“Absolutely. Just meet me here after work on Monday, and then we can get started. Deal?”

Soobin gives him another dimpled smile and a decisive nod. “Deal.”

When his shift ends, Beomgyu bikes home and spends his Friday night gaming and cursing at his teammates because they keep dying on him. He can’t be expected to carry the team the whole night, right?

It’s not until he’s exhausted and in bed does he remember the promise he made to Soobin. Teaching him swimming lessons? For free? And for what?

“To ogle him, obviously. Isn’t that why you agreed?” Kai remarks.

“I’m pretty sure he just wants to spend more time with Sunny Boy,” Taehyun replies. “Though I still think you should charge him.”

“I have no idea why I did it. Let’s just go to sleep. Please.”

Kai sighs. Taehyun shrugs. And they both disappear with the faintest _pop_.

🌊

Time has an irritating tendency to slow down when you’re waiting for something. And the weekend was passing by in an excruciatingly slow manner. Slower than a group of elephants traveling uphill. Slower than a family of snails crawling through almond butter, the super crunchy kind.

Which is why Kai is practically vibrating by the time Beomgyu gets to work on Monday.

Taehyun is acting like he doesn’t care, but Beomgyu knows him well enough to see when he’s only pretending.

The first lesson couldn’t come any sooner.

The first lesson goes like this.

“First thing’s first,” Beomgyu announces. “Get comfy with the water.”

Soobin stands at the shallow part of the pool. His trusty yellow swimming tube is wrapped around him as usual. The floaties on his arms look like little wings as he rests a hand on his waist.

“I _am_ comfy with the water,” Soobin scoffs. He kicks at what little liquid covered his feet as if to prove his point. “See?”

Unconvinced, Beomgyu advances toward him and gently pulls at the devices on his arms. Even though he can tell Soobin looks nervous to get into the water without his floaties, Soobin lets him take off the inflatables. The taller boy hugs his stomach despite being in a long-sleeved swimming shirt and nicely fitted shorts.

“How about now?”

“Pssh, yeah! This is-”

Beomgyu doesn’t let him finish. He steals Soobin by the forearm. Beomgyu bounds over the water with big, long strides until his legs are fully submerged. In contrast, Soobin hurries over to him and clutches his arms.

“Wait, wait, wait, wait” Soobin tries, pitch going higher with each syllable. They’re four feet deep and counting. Panicked, Soobin snakes his arms around the other’s neck and tangles his legs with one of Beomgyu’s. “Please don’t let go. I can’t swim. I can’t swim at all.”

“The water is barely up to my chest,” Beomgyu points out. “And you’re taller than me.”

Soobin answers by grabbing even tighter. The people around are giving them funny looks, some laughing, some smiling. Some older folks give them the stink eye while others usher their children and grandchildren away from the pair.

What diverts Beomgyu’s attention though is the genuine alarm in Soobin’s face. It’s as if he truly believes that he’ll drown if he budges even an inch, and Beomgyu thinks maybe this situation needs to be approached with a different method.

Slowly, he wades to the shallow part, coughs, and announces to the other that it’s safe now. Soobin cranes his neck to observe his surroundings first, and when he finds it satisfactory, extracts himself from Beomgyu’s frame.

The water doesn’t even reach his waist. So he looks even more ridiculous when he crosses his arms, pouts, and admits his worries. “Okay. So maybe not _that_ comfy.”

“Lucky for you, I may have an idea.”

The idea is definitely surefire. Beomgyu comes out of the water to go into the storage room only to come back with a tri-colored plastic. When Soobin inquires about it, Beomgyu doesn’t answer. Instead, he goes back into the pool, brings the little rubber opening to his lips, and blows. When it finally takes on its full shape, Soobin gives him an incredulous look.

“A beach ball?”

Beomgyu nods. “We’re gonna play catch!”

As soon as he says it, he throws the ball slightly towards Soobin’s left so that he has to take a small step away from the shallow end. Without hesitation, he tosses it back to Beomgyu. And it could be that he does it purposefully or he has terrible aim, Beomgyu is not sure. Either way, it lands way too far for Beomgyu to grab it.

“Was that on purpose?” Kai questions, landing gingerly onto Beomgyu’s shoulder.

“I think he just doesn’t play sports,” Taehyun replies from where peeks out on top of Beomgyu’s hair.

“Maybe it’s both,” Beomgyu whispers, thrusting himself forward to reach the buoyant ball. He then shouts to Soobin. “What kind of throw was that?”

The taller leans his head in confusion. “What do you mean? That’s my regular throw.”

It’s then that they all collectively agree that Soobin plays very minimal sports. Once again, Beomgyu hurls the beach ball slightly to the left so that the other has to get closer to the 5-ft line. This time, when Soobin captures it in his arms, he doesn’t give it back.

“I know what you’re doing, Beomgyu-ssi,” he declares with a smirk that doesn’t quite look right on his fluffy cheeks. It looks almost absurd combined with the electric blue swimming goggles still on his face and the amount of sunblock lavishly spread on his nose. “How about we make it more interesting by asking questions about each other at the same time?”

Beomgyu is about to reply but Soobin beats him to it. “And I’ll move towards the deeper side every time you answer one of my questions, and I’ll move back to the right every time you don’t want to.”

“What’s in it for me?”

Soobin shrugs. “You get to know more about me. I’m not a very open person, you know. And I’ll answer truthfully, I swear.”

Kai squeals, “Good enough for me! Let’s play!”

“Tsk. There’ll be no way to cross-check his answers, so we’ll never be sure if he’s actually being honest or not,” Taehyun adds thoughtfully. “Are you still down for it?”

Beomgyu makes up his mind. “Okay, let’s do it.”

“I’ll start. Your hair looks really nice,” Soobin remarks, tossing the ball back to him. “What shampoo do you use?”

“ _Daeng gi meo ri_ ,” Beomgyu replies, absentmindedly touching the back of his head. “My mom likes to buy it in packs and sends me one.”

“My mom too!” Soobin giggles. He laughs so much that Beomgyu wonders if he finds everything funny. “Okay, your turn. Ask me something.”

“Ask him what makes his skin look so pretty and clear.”

“Ask him why he’s afraid of water.”

Beomgyu doesn’t listen to either. Instead, he settles with a rather mundane question. “What’s your favorite color?”

Soobin catches the ball easily. “Sky blue and yellow. What’s your type?”

The question is so bold and unexpected that Beomgyu’s brain short circuits. The beach ball bounces off his chest. Beomgyu had forgotten to catch it.

“How daring,” Kai comments, hands clasped by his chin and eyes practically in the shape of hearts. “Tell him he’s your type.”

“No, no, no. Don’t be too easy,” Taehyun argues. “He didn’t specify what type he’s asking for. Give him your blood type instead.”

Beomgyu concurs. “My blood type is AB. What’s your favorite food?”

When Soobin gets a hold of the ball again, he’s shaking his head like a gambler getting cheated. Despite this, there’s a hint of a smile on his lips as he steps to the left and says, “Ahhh, Beomgyu-ssi. Let’s play fair, okay? My favorite food is bread.” Soobin tosses the ball back and asks, “What do you look for in a partner?”

This time, he doesn’t tiptoe around the question or try to find loopholes. If he was asked this five years ago, he would have gone with something bland like someone who’s kind, smart, pretty-looking, and with a sense of humor that complements Beomgyu’s. His answer is different now though, just as he’s certain it will be different five years from now when he’s getting closer to wanting to settle down.

“I suppose someone who’s honest. An active listener. Someone who’s respectful and polite. And someone who, along with wanting to be my partner, is also willing to be my best friend.” Beomgyu bites his lips as he feels warmth blooming in his cheeks. He tried his best not to use any pronouns to hint at Soobin that gender identity has no effect on who Beomgyu can be attracted to. “What are your hobbies?”

“I read a lot.” Soobin reaches for the beach ball and with a cheeky smile adds, “I also like to be honest, actively listen, and be respectful and polite in my downtime.”

Kai makes a screeching noise and pretends to faint on Beomgyu’s neck.

Taehyun chokes on air. “Ooh, he’s good alright.”

Beomgyu thinks so too.

“You know, this sounds like a list of questions you’d ask someone on a date,” Soobin points out. “Speaking of… describe your ideal date.”

When Beomgyu catches the ball, Kai and Taehyun instantly voice their opinions.

“Long walks on the beach. An amusement park? Ooh, how about a cat cafe?!”

“Go with April 25th. As Miss Rhode Island once said, it’s not too hot, not too cold. All you need is a light jacket!” Taehyun scratches his chin before amending his answer. “Could also work for August 15th, your choice.”

He’s about to follow Taehyun’s suggestion when he remembers Soobin’s words earlier. _Let’s play fair, okay?_ With a sigh, Beomgyu succumbs. “Something active where we can have fun. And then maybe dinner so we can relax and get to know each other better.”

True to his word, Soobin steps again to the left. The water is up to his chest now, waves lapping gently against the clothed muscles there. “Do you believe in life cycles?”

“Oh, absolutely. I must have had good karma because I’m certain I was a praying mantis in my previous life,” Soobin explains. It should sound preposterous. And if it was anyone else, Beomgyu supposes it is, but coming out of Soobin’s mouth, he thinks it’s exactly what he should have expected from him. “Be honest, Beomgyu-ssi. Do you find me attractive?”

Not even a millisecond passes before Kai responds with a resounding “Yes!”

“Yes…” Taehyun repeats after him with less enthusiasm but with the same amount of truth. “If you say that, it’ll inflate his ego and ask bolder questions. If you say no, you’d be lying and he’ll probably stop.”

That explanation is enough for Beomgyu to decide.

“I refuse to answer that question.”

“What’s this?” Soobin’s dimples show as he moves a step back to the shallower area.

The rest of the day goes on like that, with Soobin generally taking a couple of strides to the left before finally inquiring about something Beomgyu doesn’t want to disclose. It doesn’t matter though because Soobin manages to make it onto his tippy toes before he mentions that he’s too scared to go any further.

Additionally, Beomgyu’s able to learn more about him like how he has two siblings, both of whom are older than him. And that he’s fond of snow but not of rain because rain makes him gloomy but snow makes him want to read a book on the heated floor with a mug of hot chocolate by his side. And that he likes fizzy drinks but his favorite beverage is a nice cup of almond milk. And perhaps the strangest of all is that he has super stretchy skin, on his cheeks and especially around his neck.

But it wasn’t without a cost. Beomgyu had to endure some embarrassing questions that were clearly attempts to flirt with him like what toothpaste he uses because according to Soobin, his smile is attempting to put the sun out of business. And other pick-up lines that were just as ridiculous. But Soobin also asked some thoughtful yet bizarre questions like why is his favorite fruit his favorite fruit? And if he saw a friend cheating on a test, what would he do?

In any case, by the time he gets to his bed, he’s all worn out from a day of playing an intangible game of catch-me-if-you-can. And when he closes his eyes, he finds that for once he’s excited to go to work tomorrow.

🌊

In the third lesson, Beomgyu teaches Soobin foot movements.

Soobin has his arms crossed on top of the pool edge, head resting on there while the rest of his body is submerged in the water. His legs are kicking harshly at the liquid surface, making unnecessarily large splatters in the general vicinity, an astounding contrast to the mellow look on his face.

“Lighten up on the kicks,” Beomgyu suggests, sitting on the edge to watch Soobin carefully. “Your kicks have too much power. It may seem counterintuitive, but you shouldn’t bend your knees too much. It’ll just tire you out excessively, and you wouldn’t really be going much of anywhere.”

“Mhm,” Soobin nods, cheek still resting on his arms as he looks up at Beomgyu. There’s a dazed look on his face, as if he doesn’t really care what the rest of his body is doing so long as he can just look at Beomgyu.

It’s a fluttery thought that does nothing to help Soobin learn how to swim. Instead, it becomes a distraction for both of them because it’s a continuous cycle of Soobin not focusing and Beomgyu daydreaming or vice versa.

It’s not like Beomgyu doesn’t enjoy being flirted with, but they should at least do what they’re supposed to do, right?

“Right!” Kai blurts. “Now ask him if he has a crush on someone right now and if their name rhymes with Jeomgyu.”

Taehyun wrestles Kai in the air until they’re both panting and out of breath, with Taehyun winning by pinning Kai in a headlock.

“Why are you always so unreasonable?” He proposes a rhetorical question before turning to Beomgyu. “Try distracting him from his distraction.”

“Where’s your friend?” Beomgyu wonders. “I haven’t seen him since the first time you came around.”

This makes Soobin perk up. “Yeonjun hyung? Oh, he’s everywhere. Sometimes he wants to do this, sometimes he wants to do that. I can never really tell what he likes to do. I just go along with it and hope for the best.”

“You must be very close if you just go along with whatever he does,” Beomgyu states.

“You could say that! He’s also sort of my only friend, so I kind of have to put up with him.”

It’s the way Soobin says it so casually, so offhandedly like he’s merely talking about the weather and not his social life, that tugs at Beomgyu’s heartstrings. From Soobin’s rather non-filter personality, Beomgyu is surprised that this is the case.

Or perhaps this is the case precisely because of Soobin’s non-filter personality. On a closer inspection, that makes a lot more sense. It could be that Soobin’s rather forward nature is something that people around him find… unnerving? Or that he’s always on 100 and never really going below 85 is a trait that people find difficult to approach. Or that his whimsical tendencies is a characteristic that some may find... exhausting?

It makes Beomgyu inexplicably annoyed at everyone who passed up the chance to get to know Soobin.

Whichever the reason, nobody should be stuck with only one friend. Even Beomgyu, who chooses his friends carefully and would rather eat a bowl of diced onions than have a pointless conversation with a stranger, has two friends. Granted, they both only exist in Beomgyu’s reality, but that’s completely beside the point.

The point is: none of that is Soobin’s fault.

And it’s not even a fault to begin with because if anything, Beomgyu finds his cheeky nature rather appealing as Beomgyu is one who has an inclination to second guess himself. That Soobin is always so lively and unapologetically himself is something that should be celebrated, not invalidated, and something that Beomgyu needs to learn. And to Beomgyu whose days are so scheduled and repetitive that every day blends into one another, Soobin’s unpredictability and spontaneity is a treasure that, now that Beomgyu has been exposed to it, he would like to keep.

It’s exactly why he pats Soobin on the hair despite himself and declares something with utmost sincerity.

“I’m your friend too.”

Soobin blinks at him for a bit. He doesn’t respond, only gives Beomgyu a quiet smile. It’s not a weak gesture. It treads closer to discreet rather than that, as if they’re in on something, a special joke that only the two of them have knowledge of, or a groundbreaking secret that only the two of them share.

After this, Beomgyu introduces the kickboard. And much to Soobin’s dismay, Beomgyu makes him practice by holding onto the bullet-shaped foam as he puts into use what he learned that day. To his surprise, Soobin manages to learn quickly.

Using his legs as his main propeller and the kickboard as his primary floatation device, Soobin swims from one edge of the shallow end to the other edge and back.

When he stands up again, there’s a proud look on his face. It’s well-deserved, and Beomgyu has no choice but to display his excitement for Soobin’s achievement by clapping.

“That was great!” Beomgyu praises. Soobin brings both of his palms up, requesting a double high five from the shorter. Beomgyu indulges him and gives him a well-earned high ten. Except when they finally meet palm to palm, Soobin arranges their fingers so that they’re clasping each other’s hands in midair.

“It’s because I have a really good instructor,” Soobin declares.

Beomgyu almost misses it because his mind is still stuck on the fact that they’re basically holding hands, a common activity that romantic couples engage in. And they did it, and Beomgyu has a hard time swallowing even though their arms are gradually going down, down, down until they’ve landed on the water like a pair of lily pads.

Soobin is staring at him, lashes so long that Beomgyu wonders if they’re even real. The afternoon sun is so good to them because it casts Soobin in a faint orange light, coloring him in a brilliant tan that Beomgyu distinctly correlates with summer and vacation. The light also draws shadows on Soobin, right where his features are most beautiful, like the bridge of his nose and the gentle dip of eyes and the breathtaking depth of his dimples.

It’s completely magical until it’s not.

“ _Ahjussi,_ are you two just going to stand there?” A little boy who looks no older than ten asks. “We kind of need the space to play pool tag.”

“ _Ahjussi?!_ ” Kai echoes. “Why, I oughtta-”

“Don’t mind us. We were just going now, right Beomgyu-ssi?” Soobin explains with a friendly smile.

“Right!”

They make their way to the locker rooms where they shower and change in silence. It’s not awkward, but there is a sense of something looming that blankets the atmosphere. Neither one acknowledges it, and Beomgyu is surprised because for someone as straightforward as Soobin, one would think he’d have made an actual move by now.

Instead, they spend the rest of their time in the quiet and only breaking it to say their goodbyes and their promises to meet again tomorrow.

When Beomgyu is in bed, he feels the ghost sensation of warm palms on his hand. He relives the impression the water made on his lower half, while his torso was heated with the low-hanging sun. He plays back the image of Soobin looking down at him, eyes striking with how they were swept in the shadows.

“So romantic,” Kai sighs dreamily. “Maybe you can playfully hit his chest next time and just, you know, kind of leave it there.”

“Don’t forget what he said earlier: _I’m your friend too, Soobin-ssi_ ,” Taehyun adds before snorting. “Yeah, his _boyfriend_.”

“Ugh.” Beomgyu so wishes he can fling them away with his pillow. “You’re both insufferable.”

🌊

On the fifth day, they have a visitor.

Soobin is somewhat adept at leg movements now and they’ve moved on to arm motions. They’re walking back and forth in the shallow end of the water, Beomgyu showcasing freestyle strokes, Soobin spinning his arms like an old windmill, when someone interrupts them.

“Aren’t you boys tired?”

Beomgyu and Soobin look up from where they’re practicing. Soobin’s friend—his Yeonjun hyung—is here. He’s holding a plastic bag that looks to have boxes of takeout in them, and Beomgyu has half a mind to say no food allowed in the swimming pool area, but Soobin is jumping up excitedly.

“Hyung, you’re here!” Soobin gasps. “With food! How did you know?!”

Just like that Soobin hurries to get out of the water to have some early dinner. Or super late lunch, Beomgyu doesn’t know. He follows the older out of the water, squeezing his shorts to get rid of excess wetness before completely stepping out of the pool. Soobin snatches the bag from Yeonjun’s grip and scurries to the closest pool chair with a matching side table, leaving the pair alone by the pool edge.

“You must be Beomgyu-ssi,” Yeonjun states in lieu of an introduction, giving him a professional smile. “I’m a friend of Soobin. Choi Yeonjun.”

Yeonjun sticks his hand out for an initial handshake.

“I don’t like him already,” Kai declares with crossed arms. “He’s interrupting our SooGyu time.”

Taehyun rolls his eyes. “Relax. He’s Soobin-ssi’s only friend, remember? He must be a good person, otherwise, why would he bother staying friends with him all these years.”

“Good point,” Kai notes begrudgingly. He still narrows his eyes at Yeonjun anyway.

“Choi Beomgyu,” Beomgyu greets, accepting the handshake. For the briefest second before the contact, Beomgyu chooses to channel Taehyun. Yeonjun grip is strong, but Taehyun’s just as firm. “Nice to properly meet you, Yeonjun-ssi.”

Yeonjun’s lips harden at the edges. It would have been imperceptible if Beomgyu wasn’t looking for it. Beomgyu is certain that if this was a western movie, they’d be transported to an old town in the desert, wind roaring harshly while a tumbleweed rolls past.

“I heard you’re teaching Soobin how to swim. How’s that going?”

“He’s great. Listens well.”

Yeonjun doesn’t break eye contact when he asks, “And is there a reason why you’re doing something that doesn’t benefit you?”

“How are you certain this doesn’t benefit me?”

“Well, he’s not paying you. So how does this benefit you exactly?”

Beomgyu shrugs. “He kind of is paying me. With his friendship.”

Yeonjun tightens his grip, and Beomgyu is certain that if anyone would look at them right now, they’d catch a glimpse of electricity traveling between the two.

“I hope you’re not taking advantage of his kindness.”

“Taking advantage?” Beomgyu almost snorts but holds it in. He has a feeling that a wrong impression right now could lead to disastrous consequences. “Shouldn’t I be the one worrying about that?”

Yeonjun’s lip twitches. “I sure hope you’re not insinuating that my best friend has anything other than good intentions in him.”

“Ah, no, no, not at all,” Beomgyu backtracks. “I was merely saying that he’s not paying me, remember? But I don’t mind because he’s a good person and makes for nice company. I want to be his friend too because he deserves more people around him to make him happy.”

Yeonjun squints at him before beaming and letting go of his hands. Instead, he envelops Beomgyu in an unexpected hug, snug and bone-crushing, and tells him, “Welcome to the family!”

Beomgyu is left reeling because what the f-

Yeonjun releases him, grinning at him brightly like they didn’t just have a standoff moments ago, and swings an arm around his shoulders. “You’re cool, Beomgyu-ssi. I like you. You can call me _hyung_ if you want.”

“Ehehe, I’m really more comfortable with just Yeonjun-ssi,” Beomgyu tries but then remembers that this is Soobin’s best friend. “But I can call you hyung if you prefer it.”

“I do,” Yeonjun admits, leading him to where Soobin is sat. “You’re not going to break little Soobin’s heart right? Because if you do, I’m gonna make sure to break your little toes before doing the same to your fingers.”

Beomgyu laughs nervously. “You don’t have to worry about that. I’ll break them myself first.”

“What’s this?” Soobin questions, hands occupied with a half-eaten burger. The bite marks on it are extraordinarily large. “Already getting along without me? I’m hurt.”

“Ya, Soobin-ah. Don’t be like that,” Yeonjun instantly sits next to Soobin, bumping him on the shoulder. “You know you’ll always be my best friend.”

“I know, I was just joking, hyung. I knew you two would hit it off.”

Soobin is right. Beomgyu and Yeonjun actually end up being on the same wavelength that it was kind of shocking considering that charged, initial introduction. They find comfort in their similarities, including but not limited to their taste in music. They even have the same passion for dancing that Beomgyu is surprised they have not yet crossed paths in their university’s dance community.

When the takeout boxes are nearly empty, stomachs full and hunger satiated, Yeonjun bids his goodbye and leaves, but not without Beomgyu’s gratitude.

“Thank you for feeding us, hyung! And be safe on your trip next weekend!”

Yeonjun tilts his head, not unlike a puppy unsure of what’s being asked of him.

“To Jeju?” Beomgyu clarifies, glancing at a sunburnt-looking Soobin and then back. “It’s why Soobin-ssi needs to learn how to swim, right?”

Yeonjun sighs in relief, rubbing the back of his neck. “Ah, that. I don’t really consider it a trip because it’s just to my aunt and uncle’s, but yes. Thank you. Will do!”

And before Beomgyu could even add anything else, Yeonjun slips out slick as a fox. Beomgyu shakes his head and turns to Soobin again.

“Your Yeonjun hyung is pretty cool.”

“He is, isn’t he? He still makes time to hang out with me even though he’s already super busy with his girlfriend.”

It’s information new to Beomgyu. And because he’s a curious little shit, he jokes around, “You don’t secretly wish you were his girlfriend, do you?”

“What? Ew, no,” Soobin chuckles easily, knocking him with an elbow. “Don’t be ridiculous. We’re just friends. He’s my best friend, that’s it.”

This satisfies Beomgyu. Confident, he brings a hand on Soobin’s neck to card through the half-dry hair there.

“You were doing really well before he got here. Do you want to continue?”

To his surprise, Soobin doesn’t budge. Instead, Soobin’s shoulders bunch up, and he bites his lips to hold in a smile. It seems like Soobin flourishes when he’s being complimented. Gets shy when he’s being praised. Beomgyu writes a mental reminder to himself to compliment him more.

“Yes, please!”

They trudge back to the water, arms brushing against one another with each step. It makes the hair in the back of Beomgyu’s neck rise.

Beomgyu spends the rest of the afternoon showing Soobin how to use his arms. Soobin uses up the next hour imitating Beomgyu’s arm motions until he’s gotten familiar with it. And at the last few minutes of their session, Beomgyu tells Soobin to utilize what he learned today and what he learned before at the same time.

It takes a second for Soobin to catch his breath, but there’s a purposeful look in his eyes that Beomgyu hasn’t seen there before. And without preamble, Soobin springs off the wall to start his swimming. He rotates his arms the way he was taught today, flapping his legs the way Beomgyu told him the day before.

A second or so in, Soobin is swimming. He’s slicing through the water with his body, using his arms as a guide. After each slash of his arm, his body follows, prompted forward by each kick of his leg. It’s not professional by any means, but it’s enough to stir pride in Beomgyu’s chest. When Soobin makes it to the end, Beomgyu is starry-eyed.

Beomgyu catapults himself towards the older, wide-mouthed and cheering. As soon he makes it to Soobin, Beomgyu captures him in a hug and swings him around even though they’re still in the water.

“That was fantastic! Sooner or later, you’re going to be even better than me.”

“Ah, you’re teasing me,” Soobin pouts, slapping Beomgyu on the shoulder.

“Honestly, that was really good. You already got the basics down, you’re practically a natural.”

Beomgyu is exaggerating a little, but Soobin deserves the praises.

Later, when the sky is more violet than pink, Soobin expresses his goodbye by giving Beomgyu a warm hug. Kai faints from the action, and Taehyun has to fly in to the rescue to resuscitate him back to consciousness. Beomgyu doesn’t blame him because he’s feeling a little lightheaded himself.

🌊

The next session is more of the same, just Beomgyu and making Soobin complete a lap in the shallow end. It’s during the seventh day that they finally do it.

“Do you trust me?”

Soobin pretends to contemplate. Affronted, Beomgyu playfully smacks him on the chest, it's a habit by now. Except Soobin is shirtless today, and Beomgyu feels the wetness of Soobin’s exposed skin upon impact. And it stings. It stings and leaves a phantom warmth that Beomgyu is certain he will be able to feel hours from now, yet there Soobin stands, grinning and looking wholly unaffected.

It’s completely unfair.

“I don’t think there’s an appropriate answer to that. Either way, you’ll just tease me about it.”

“Touché!”

Beomgyu orders him to swim a lap or two in the shallow area. He notices the beginner mistakes that the older boy makes—holding his head up too high, keeping his lower half deeper in the water, blade arm slicing the water with too much power. All little movements that impede a swimmer by creating too much drag and undulation.

With awkward strokes, Soobin gradually makes it from one edge to the other, back, and back again. There, he comes out of the waves, arching his back like a blue whale emerging out of the water. It should look ridiculous with his goggles, but the way the droplets spray out in an arc, hair splayed from the pool water, skin slick and glistening under the late afternoon sun, Soobin looks beautiful.

As if unaware of his effect on the people around him, Soobin beams at Beomgyu and raises a thumbs up in question. Did Soobin do well? For someone who was so afraid of water just last week, Beomgyu thinks he did better than incredible.

To reflect his thoughts, he gives Soobin two thumbs up and a few claps. The taller does a fist pump in excitement and plods his way back to Beomgyu.

“That was great,” he compliments the taller. Soobin tilts his head down a little, a silent question. Naturally, Beomgyu uses this opportunity to ruffle his hair.

“You’re teasing me, aren’t you?” Soobin asks through his lashes.

Beomgyu uses his laugh to mask the way chest is hammering right now. “I’m not. I mean it. You did amazing considering not long ago you wouldn’t even let me go when we got to the 4-ft line.”

He opens his mouth to continue, but Soobin interrupts by splashing a bit of water on him. A good amount invades Beomgyu’s lips while some catch his eyes. Caught unaware, Beomgyu begins to cough a lung while wiping at the burning in his sclera.

“Oh, kumquats!” Soobin exclaims. He’s immediately on Beomgyu, rubbing a hand on his back for comfort, shushing him and speaking in hushed tones. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to- well, I did, but I thought I would just go to your chest… didn’t think it would go to your eyes and mouth. This is so embarrassing... You didn’t swallow any water did you?”

Once Beomgyu’s eyes no longer feel like they’re muddled with sand and he’s able to catch his breath, he reassures Soobin that he’s fine and he’s good and that-

“It’s okay. It’s just pool water, not sulfuric acid. I think a swallow or two is fine.”

Soobin blinks at him then. It absolutely reminds Beomgyu of their first encounter, of intentional splashes and runaway waters and the warmth of a lopsided smile. And then they both start giggling like they’re in on some inside joke, huddled together like a pair of children without a care in the world.

It’s here that Kai and Taehyun appear with a soft _pop._

“Why are we laughing?” Kai asks as he zooms around Beomgyu’s head in a whirlwind. Suddenly, he goes quiet as if he is trying to recollect what just happened by jogging up his memories. “Oh! That’s cute. Not really that funny, but at least it made our little cutie laugh. Isn’t he so cute? Look at the little moon shapes of his eyes.”

Beomgyu silently agrees. Soobin _does_ look adorable, and his eyes are arranged in neat, little crescent shapes as he chuckles at Beomgyu’s comment.

Thankfully, Taehyun is there to communicate with Kai because Beomgyu can’t exactly converse with them while Soobin is around.

“Can’t you see they’re having a moment?” Taehyun scolds Kai, snatching him in one fell swoop. They tumble in the air until they’re far enough to be out of whispering range, which Beomgyu supposes is enough privacy. However, he still does catch wind of Taehyun’s voice when he says, “Let’s stay away for now. And then we can make fun of him later.”

Beomgyu mentally shakes his head. Darn pests.

When everything subsides, Beomgyu merely observes Soobin.

His goggles are around his neck now. His lips are strikingly red, perhaps from the cold or perhaps from being bitten too much. In comparison, his skin is warm and slightly tanned from spending too much time under the summer sky. The wetness from the pool makes him glimmer and look perfectly sunkissed when the light hits him at the right angle, golden and painted with oil as if on a canvas.

Beomgyu is utterly mesmerized.

He takes one of Soobin’s hands and begins to swim backwards.

“Wh-What are you doing?”

There’s apprehension in the other’s eyes, but Beomgyu believes in Soobin. And hopefully, Soobin believes in him too.

“Swim with me.” _To the deep end_. 

It goes unsaid, but that’s where they’re headed. To Soobin, Beomgyu supposes it’s to the unknown. The unexplored. The unfamiliar. Beomgyu already knows this though, has explored it before, is familiar with it. With his back to their ending destination, Beomgyu stares at Soobin as he leads him to the deep side.

They cross the 7-ft line.

To nobody’s surprise, Soobin swims with him, his free arm wading the water while his legs propel him forward. Beomgyu wants to say _keep your eyes on me_ , but he doesn’t need to because Soobin doesn’t look anywhere else.

Beomgyu comments when they cross the 8-ft line.

“Not that difficult, right?”

“Easy for you to say. You’ve been doing this since forever,” Soobin huffs. He purses his lips the same time his eyes narrow—it’s a look that Beomgyu has noticed Soobin wears whenever he’s focusing all of his attention on something.

Swimming backwards is so second nature to Beomgyu that he’s half certain that if he were thrown into a body of water in his sleep, he would immediately start sleep-swimming. However, he supposes that to Soobin who has not stepped deeper than the 5-ft line before this, the action requires his full concentration.

So obviously, Beomgyu just has to distract him.

“You look really cute when you’re concentrating.”

Soobin doesn’t stop, but he does falter a bit. And although they’re no longer in kindergarten, the fluttery feeling of pulling a pigtail comes back. It’s not the best tactic, or a good one even, but it’s an excuse to have another hand on Soobin to steady him, so Beomgyu considers it a win.

“I already knew that, but thank you anyway.”

It’s when they cross the 10-ft line that Beomgyu notices something.

“Are your legs okay?” He inquires when, upon closer inspection, Beomgyu realizes that they’ve slowed down a bit. 

“A little tired, but they’re fine,” Soobin assures, kicking. For someone who’s never been to the deep end, he sure looks determined. As driven as a sports car on its final lap.

By the 12-ft line, Soobin is looking a little worse for wear.

“You can stop if you want to,” Beomgyu proposes. “I can get us all the way there.”

“No. I can do it. Just stay close,” Soobin manages in between breaths. _Save me if I cramp_ is how Beomgyu translates it.

Beomgyu has to hand it to him. He doesn’t think he’s ever seen anyone overcome their fear of the water this quickly. Even now, Beomgyu chooses to have a night light on during the evening because falling asleep in complete darkness is still spooky to him.

They’re at the 14-ft line when Soobin surges forward to place a hand at the back of Beomgyu’s head.

The touch is delicate yet firm, feeling not unlike a protective helmet fastened securely on him.

“What?”

“Sorry. I didn’t want you to hit your head against the edge.”

Just as Soobin says this, Beomgyu’s back hits the pool wall. The impact shoves his head backward, and just as Soobin predicted, his skull would have knocked against the pool edge had the taller’s hand not been there to prevent it.

This also means that Soobin ends up sailing too close to him until they’re chest-to-chest. To anchor them, Beomgyu clutches the tiled border of the pool with his free hand. Their fingers are still clasped, now sinking in slow motion underwater. Their legs flutter underneath, knees gently bumping into each other when they accidentally get too close.

Soobin is breathing heavily, as if the whole trek took so much out of him. And perhaps he could also be nervous about being in the deep end for the first time, there’s that too. But the way he’s scanning Beomgyu’s face, flitting from his eyes to his lips and back, Beomgyu is certain there’s something else.

Soobin’s hair isn’t exactly dripping, but it’s close, only half wet because they swam without submerging their heads. Still, a drop slides down from the tip of bangs past the dip of his eyes to the curve of his cheek and his pointy chin before finally landing on the water between them with a muted _plop_.

“We did it,” Soobin says softly.

“ _You_ did it,” Beomgyu points out.

“ _I_ did it?”

“You did it!”

“He did it?!” Kai asks, zipping towards them in an instant.

“They did it,” Taehyun confirms, floating towards them with closed arms and a proud smile on his face.

“I did it!” Soobin exclaims as if he can’t stop himself. He’s trying to jump up and down somehow, unable to contain his excitement, even though he can’t possibly make hops in the water when his feet have nothing to push against. “Oh my goober. I can’t believe I did it!”

Later, when the buzz of success has finally fizzled out, Beomgyu and Soobin swim back to the shallow end. They spend the rest of the afternoon making laps around the pool together like a couple of dolphins traveling in a pair.

When the sun is ready to set and much of Beomgyu’s fingertips are closer to prunes than actual skin, they emerge out of the water in giggles. They don’t stray too far from each other when they make their way to the communal showers. There, Beomgyu tries to clean himself even though he knows that when he gets in bed tonight, he will still faintly smell of chlorine and sunscreen.

He’s about to soap his torso when Soobin starts to make hissing noises. Soobin’s hair is covered in a cloud of white fluff, some of it flowing dangerously close to his eye. It isn’t until Soobin starts to wipe at his eyes does Beomgyu realize that that’s exactly what’s happening. Except Soobin’s hands are also full of shampoo, so rubbing at his own eyes will be no good. 

Hurriedly, Beomgyu approaches him and pulls Soobin’s arms away so Beomgyu can do it.

“Stay still,” he commands, and Soobin does. As gently as he can, Beomgyu wipes the shampoo out of Soobin’s eyes until the traces of white are all gone. Once finished, he gives Soobin’s eyes a cottony blow for good measure.

“Better?”

Soobin nods, lips pursed and pupils blown.

They’re as close as they were when they drifted to the deep end. But on land, Beomgyu has to tilt his head up a little just so they can make eye contact. The water is still running, splashing against their body, steam coming up from the heat when it hits.

Beomgyu steps back to return to his shower, but Soobin pulls him back by the elbow. He’s about to ask yet doesn’t get to because it happens before he can even utter a word.

Soobin is first to lean in.

But Beomgyu has been wanting to do this since Soobin gave him the first dimpled smile. And again on the second. And again on the third and so on. Which is why he’s able to meet him halfway, despite having a late start.

Soobin’s lips are soft and silken, as pillowy as Beomgyu imagined it would be. Every inch where they meet skin to skin feels incredibly warm, hot like being baked under the summer sun. It’s an electrifying sensation. When Soobin re-emerges, he’s breathing heavily, chest pushing against Beomgyu with each inhalation.

They don’t say anything, but Soobin is watching him as if silently asking a question. So Beomgyu answers by leaning forward again.

Unable to keep his hands to himself, Beomgyu settles his arms around the other’s neck as Soobin wraps his on Beomgyu’s waist. The taller’s lips part slightly, and Beomgyu chases after his lips the way Soobin swam towards him to the deep end. Beomgyu’s ribs are trembling from how his heart won’t stay calm, and it makes Beomgyu wonder for a split second if Soobin can feel it. And another second for Beomgyu to realize that Soobin’s is just as uncontrolled.

When they pull apart again, Beomgyu is out of breath. His fingers are tingling, and there’s that funny sensation in his stomach, the same one he gets during the initial drop of a roller coaster. Is this how Soobin felt when they finally got to the deep end?

“Better?” Soobin parrots his question back at him.

“Muuuch,” Kai replies out of nowhere, dazed and floating in the air like petals on water.

“Play it cool,” Taehyun suggests, covering Kai’s mouth to stop him from spouting any more nonsense. “Joke it off. We can’t let him have the upper hand.”

Beomgyu agrees. With both.

“Yes.” A pout. “But you haven’t even taken me out to dinner yet, and I’m a proper gentleman.”

Soobin chuckles, shoulders shaking with it.

“How about tomorrow,” he insists. “After work.”

“YES!” Kai shouts, managing to escape Taehyun’s grasp. The latter doesn’t pursue him this time and instead provides advice to Beomgyu. “Only if he pays! You basically gave him swimming lessons for free. And style your hair the way you did when he complimented it that one time.”

Beomgyu beams at Soobin. “Sure.”

“Okay. I’ll come get you, but wear something you don’t mind getting dirty. And don’t worry about the costs! I’ll pay.”

Biting his lips, Beomgyu decides to tease him. “What’s this? Paying for the whole date?”

Soobin snickers, planting a quick peck on Beomgyu’s forehead. “Consider it my thanks for helping me let go of my fears.”

“I like him,” Taehyun confesses. “He’s a keeper.”

“I think so too.”

“What was that?” Soobin asks.

“I said you’re so cute,” Beomgyu tries. Taehyun and Kai disappear again with a faint pop, probably to give them privacy. Or to not distract Beomgyu while he’s with Soobin. Whichever the reason, he’s thankful for it.

When they make it out, fully dressed and ready to part ways just to meet again the day after, only the last few rays of sunlight are left.

Tomorrow, Soobin will take them to go paintballing. Beomgyu will win all five rounds, with Soobin getting nowhere close to winning. Their cheeks will be smudged with splatters of vivid, colorful paint, but it’s nothing a good wipe can’t erase. When the sun starts its descent, they will go to one of the ramen restaurants in the busy street occupied with college students looking to spend their summer carelessly. Soobin will order cheese _ramyeon_ and Beomgyu will order _jjampong_ and they will share a bowl of _bingsu_ because both want an excuse to sidle up next to each other.

At nighttime, they’ll walk while talking and Soobin will confess that he has no trip with Yeonjun, he just wanted an excuse to talk to Beomgyu. Beomgyu will playfully accuse him of pretending not to know how to swim, but Soobin will sulk saying that that part’s real and that he really didn’t like to swim until Beomgyu made it fun.

The streets will still be busy with college life, the buildings will still be bright with city lights. They won’t go to a _noraebang_ , that’s for a future date, but Soobin will pull him to the small alley next to it where they’ll spend a good few minutes exploring each other’s mouths until a worker who’s bringing out the trash will shoo them away.

Later, Soobin will thank him again for teaching him how to swim. And Beomgyu will thank him for letting him have the best summer thus far.

When they finally return to their own rooms, Soobin will text him good night. Beomgyu will do the same. Kai will gush about their date, and Taehyun will pretend to be nonchalant about it even though they all know otherwise.

Beomgyu will fall asleep and dream about pretty eyes, perfect cupid bow lips, and the feeling of swimming together to the deep end.

**Author's Note:**

> Helloooo!
> 
> Thank you for finishing my fic. If you like it, please leave kudos and a comment. I would really appreciate it.
> 
> I have [Twitter](https://twitter.com/seungminhot) if you want to scream with me!
> 
> Also if it wasn't already obvious, Huening Kai is the physical embodiment of Beomgyu's heart while Taehyun is the physical embodiment of Beomgyu's mind. That's why Kai is more emotional and Taehyun is more analytical.
> 
> Thanks!


End file.
